Rail-joint connection.



PATENTED SEPT. 29; 1903.'

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UNITED STAT S i atented September 29, 1903. V

JOHN E. FIELD, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN. v

RAIL-JOINT CONN ECTl ON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,262, dated September 29, 1903. Application filed May 28,1903.- Serial No. 159,696. (No model.)

T0 on whom, ii; may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN E. FIELD, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented a. new and useful Improvement in Rail-Joint Gonnections, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

The object of my rail-joint connection is to provide an improved means by which the abutting ends of two rails of a railway-track can be readily secured together and thereafter the means can be readily released and disconnected from the rails, thus providing for securing the rails together temporarily by means that can be disconnected from the rails and the rails thereby released to be removed or moved to a short distance and the means then again applied to the rails to secure them together in position for being used as a track. In connection with this principal object of my novel device there are minor features of construction that are new and are incidental to the general construct-ion and to its chief purpose.

The invention consists of the device, its parts, and combinations of. parts, as herein described and claimed, or the equivalents thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents the abutting ends of two railway-rails, fragments only of which are shown, and my improved rail-joint connection therewith supported on a railway-tie, which is shown in cross-section. Fig. 2 shows the abutting ends of the rails and my improved joint connection on the other side of the rails from the view shown in Fig. 1.

tain line and thereafter (perhaps very soon) have occasion to change the lineof the track, frequently by shifting it to a line at a little distance from the line of the track as originally laid down. My improved rail-joint con- Fig. 3 is a horizontal longitudinal section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2 looking down- 5 is a detail of the connection is especially adapted for such temporary connection of rails, though it may be employed for a permanent connection of rails.

In the drawings, A A represent the abutting ends of railway-rails of the common flanged form, and B represents a cross-tie of the character and form in common-use. A metal tie-plate2 is adapted to rest on the tie B and is adapted to receive and supportthereon the abutting ends of the rails A A, the plate being provided with two horns 3 3, one on each side of the ends of the rails, which horns extend inwardly and upwardly from the tieplate and are adapted to fit on the upper surface of the base-flange of the rails. The tie-plateis preferably provided with a channel across it in its upper surface, adapted to receive therein the base-flange of the rails. The tie-plate is also provided with two keyaperturese 4, one alongside the edge of the base of the flange of one rail and the other alongside the base of the flange of the other rail and at the other side of the rail. These key-apertu-res are adapted to receive therein a through the tie and through the plate and having the end thereof riveted or provided with a nut 6, which nut may be turned down by its screw-thread against the tie-plate. If bolts with nuts are employed, it is advisable to have the bolts so located with reference to the key-apertures 44 that when the nuts are turneddown to their seats on the bolts, securing the plate in position on the tie and the keys hereinafter described are inserted in the key-apertures, the keys will serve as locks to the nuts and prevent their rotation, and thus obviate their coming loose.

It will be understood that the ends of the rails A A are to be put in place abuttingeach other on the tie-plate by sliding the rails endwise with the base-fiangesinserted under the horns 3 3 and meeting each other midway of the width of the horns. together and prevent their escape fronr'the tie-plate and from the horns 3 3, I provide a fish-plate 7, to be placed against the webs of the two rails on one side, which fish-plate rests along its lower edge on the upper surface To connect the rails IOO .. outer surface.

of the base-flange of the rail and is provided I with locking-pins 8 8, fixed rigidly in the fishplate and adapted to pass through bolt-apertures, such as are usually provided in the webs of the rails, and projecting on the other side of the webs sufficiently far to receive thereon a fish-plateon the other side of the rails. Also I provide short stud-pins 9 9, fixed in the fish-plate 7 and adapted to project into bolt-holes, such as are usuallyprovided in the websof the rails intermediate of the lockingpins 8 8. The fish-plate is also provided with a vertical groove 10 in its exterior surface. On the other side of the rails from the fishplate 7 I provide a complementary fish-plate, which for convenience of applying it to the rails and for removing it readily is made in two parts, the larger part, 11, being of such size and length as to fit along its lower edge on the upper surface of the base-flange of the rails and being provided with a recess in its outer end, whereby the terminus of the plate member 11 is made furcate and fits onto a locking-pin 8 in grooves 12 12 therefor in the pin. The other end of this member 11 of this fish-plate is made to overlap the second member, 11, of the fish-plate, which member 11 is furcate at its outer end and is adapted to take onto alocking-pin Sin the grooves 12 thereof. The fish-plate members 11 and 11 when in engagement with the locking-pins 8 8 in the manner described and as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 lock the two fishplates to each other and to the webs of the rails between them, preventing the rails from movement away from each other and preventing the releasing of the fish-plates from.

the rails. The fish-plate members 11 and 11 are provided with shoulders 13 13,'that abut against each other and prevent the movement of the members of the fish-plate endwise toward each other while in the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so that while held in these positions they cannot escape from the locking-pins8 8. The fish-plate member 11 is also provided with a vertical groove 10 in its Keys or locking devices 14. 14 are provided, each of which has a spur 15, adapted to fit in a key-aperture 4 in the tieplate and may-be somewhat longer, so as to enter a little the tie B, and this key extends inwardly to and upwardly against the fishplate, fitting in the groove 10 or 10 of the respective plates. The spurs 15 of these keys fit snugly in the apertures therefor in the tieplate and when driven home to position, as shown in Fig. at are firmly but releasably secured in place in the tie-plate. These keys bearing against the fish-plates in the grooves 10 10 therefor prevent the movement of the rails endwise and also look the members 11 by turning'thereon. Each key 14: is also advisably provided with a groove 16 to receive therein a tool, like a spike-bar, for removing it from its seat when it is desired to take off the rail-joint connection.

In view of the construction shown and described it will be understood that this railjoint connection is readily applied to railwayrails for securing them together and in place on a tie-plate and that the connection can be readily released and removed when it is desirable to shift the railsto a new locality.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a rail-joint connection, a fish-plate provided with fixed locking-pins at a distance apart adapted to pass through the webs of rails, a complementary fish-plate in two longitudinal members abutting and overlapping against each other at their inner ends and having furcate outer ends adapted to straddle and engage the locking-pins of the other plate, and means for holding the abutting ends of the separable members in position on the rails.

2. In a rail-joint connection, a fish-plate provided with fixed locking-pins at considerable distance apart and adapted to pass through the webs of rails, a complementary fish-plate in two longitudinal members fitting against and separable from each other medially and adapted on the other side of the rails severally to engage a locking-pin and hold the several plates to each other and in engagement with the rails.

3. In a rail-joint connection, a fish-plate provided with fixed locking-pins at a distance apart adapted to pass through the webs of rails, a complementary fish-plate in two longitudinal members abutting against and separable from each other medially and adapted on the other side of the rails severally to engage a locking-pin and hold the several plates to each other and in engagement with the rails, and means adapted to hold the separable members of the fish-plate in position relative to each other and in engagement with the locking-pins.

4. In combination, a rail tie-plate provided with horns adapted to engage the flanges of rails, and with key-apertures, fish-plates having means to secure them to each other and to the webs of rails, and keys adapted to enter the apertures in the tie-plate and to engage the fish-plates and prevent longitudinal movement thereof.

5. In combination, a rail tie-plate provided with horns adapted to engage the flanges of rails and with key-apertures, fish-plates having means to secure them to each other and to the webs of rails and provided with keyrecesses and keys adapted to enter and be seated releasably in the apertures in the tieplate and to enter the recesses in the fishplates and thereby to hold the fish -plates against movement endwise.

6. In combination, a rail tie-plate provided with horns adapted to engage the flanges of rails and with key-apertures, a, fish-plate provided with locking pins adapted to pass through the webs of rails, a complementary fish-plate in separable interlocking members adapted to engage the locking-pins, and keys adapted to be seated in the key-apertures and to lock the fish-plates in position relative to each other and with the rails against movement endwise.

7. In a, rail-joint connection, a, tie-plate adapted to be secured to a tie with a'bolt and Witnesses:

J. M. TRICKEY, JOHN OHLS'MAN. 

